Mission and Outreach happens in and around The Good Shepherd nearly 24/7.
Our Mission and Outreach Committee is active in a number of projects and programs that reach far and wide, so you are sure to find something that will engage your interests.
And in addition to the projects and programs listed below, there are those things that just happen at The Good Shepherd -- because that is the kind of church we are.
Javarita Coffee House
Shows begin at 7:00 p.m. on the second Friday of the month, October through March.
Bringing the best acoustic, roots music to the Santa Cruz Valley, where great harmonies are not just sung but also emit a purpose. Any net profits made from the concerts during the year are given to the Sahuarita Food Bank.
Details
Sahuarita Food Bank at the Good Shepherd
The Food Bank provides food to those needy individuals and families without. A large percentage of those receiving assistance through these services are the working poor and senior citizen.
Samaritans
Meet at 8:00 a.m. every other Monday at the church.
The Green Valley/Sahuarita Samaritans formed in the spring of 2005 as a loose coalition of area men and women who came together to give humanitarian aid to migrants in distress. The Samaritans do not have a formal membership structure and welcome all who want to participate.
Details
Estate Sales
For the past twenty years a group of volunteers within The Good Shepherd have offered their services to the community to prepare and host estate sales. This is an incredible service for those who are moving or selling their house and do not have the time, stamina or experience to take on a sale. It is safe to say the Estate Sales volunteers have the credentials; they have over 250 sales under their belts.
Contact Information: Barbara Hodges 520-393-0991, Mary Chapman 520-648-9947.
Alternative Gift Fair
This year's at the Alternative Gift Fair will be held after both worship services on Nov. 13, 20, 27 and Dec. 4. With an alternative Christmas gift, you honor your loved ones and make a difference in the lives of people around the world at the same time. These gifts don’t get returned because the recipient already has one.
Kiva Micro-loan Project
For the past five years, The Good Shepherd has invested in a micro-loan project through Kiva that works with microfinance institutions on five continents to provide loans to people without access to traditional banking systems. The $6,000 invested has been multiplied into more than $20,000 in loans that have been given to peasant farmers, women entrepreneurs and small cooperatives around the world.
Project news
For more information about Kiva, visit their website
Knitting Ministry
The group meets from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, at a member’s home.
The Good Shepherd Knitting Ministry welcomes everyone that likes to knit or crochet. The objectives of this ministry are to provide small group fellowship, to share knowledge and inspiration and last, but not least, to combine talents to handcraft items for those less fortunate.
Details
BorderLinks
BorderLinks is a bi-national, nonprofit educational organization at the U.S./Mexico border that focuses on cross-border relationship building opportunities, issues of immigration, community formation and development, and social justice in the borderlands between Mexico, the U.S., and beyond. On average, nearly 1,000 individuals participate annually in BorderLinks learning opportunities.
Visit the BorderLinks website for more information
Pima County Community Justice Board
Every Monday evening for the past ten years the Sahuarita Community Justice Board has used two of our classrooms to meet with youth that have gotten in trouble with the law. The Community Justice Board facilitates meetings with parents, victims, and sees that a full process of retribution is carried out by the youth which leads to a clean record and a journey away from the criminal justice system.
Visit the Pima County Community Justice Board website for more information
Humane Borders
The Good Shepherd was one of the founding members of Humane Borders, which since 2000 has been offering humanitarian assistance to those in need through the deployment of emergency water stations on routes known to be used by migrants coming north through our desert. The sole mission is to take death out of the immigration equation. The water tanks are on a combination of private and public lands. In all cases written permission has been given to locate the water stations on the different sites.
Visit the Humane Borders website for more information
AA
A brand new group meets every Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in the Redman Room at The Good Shepherd.
Stay and Play
Children and parents gather in our Redman Room every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to participate in this innovative group that provides an opportunity for parents to learn how the little things they do affect their child’s healthy cognitive and emotional development. Activities take place in a safe and stimulating playroom and include songs, games and play that promote language acquisition, social/emotional skills, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and intellect.
The United Way and the Parent Connection sponsor Stay and Play.
For more information, visit The Parent Connection website or call: 520-321-1500.
Amado-Sahuarita Adult Learning Program
This group meets every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at The Good Shepherd.
The Amado-Sahuarita Adult Learning Program offers multiple levels of English as a Second Language (ESL), GED Preparation, and Citizen Preparation Classes to help community members become proficient with their language skills as well as move forward with their education goals.
For more information, contact Jane Burns at 520-399-0750.
Boy Scout Troop 301
The Boy Scouts meet every Thursday evening at The Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd is the proud sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 301. This is a very active troop of more than 30 scouts and their parents and has produced more than ten Eagle Scouts and many more to come. The troop has many different components to it which include a Varsity Crew, a co-ed Venture Scout group, as well as nurturing a Cub Scout Pack that meets once a month at the Church.
Holiday Sweet Sale
Mission and Outreach
